Al, Lew, and Karen pooled their funds to buy a gift for a

Question

Al, Lew, and Karen pooled their funds to buy a gift for a friend. Al contributed $2 less than 1/3 of the cost of the gift and Lew contributed $2 more than 1/4of the cost. If Karen contributed the remaining $15, what was the cost of the gift?

(A) $24
(B) $33
(C) $36
(D) $43
(E) $45

(A) $24
(B) $33
(C) $36
(D) $43
(E) $45

pmenon · Accepted Answer

C - 36

the two guys together contribute to 7/12 (1/3 + 1/4) of the overall price, leaving 5/12 to be paid.

this 5/12 is equivalent to 15 dollars, and so the overall cost of the gift is 15*12/5 = 36

MHIKER · Answer

Do the red mark portions have any impact on solving the ps?

BDSunDevil · Answer

had it been $2 and $3 or different for each cases, it would have had impact.

Bunuel · Answer

Similar question to practice: three-friends-are-buying-a-gift-for-a-friend-declan-contributes-4-dol-193481.html

mvictor · Answer

A=x/3-2
L=x/4+2
K=15
all together equal to x.
x/3+x/4 + 15 = x
7x/12 +15 = x
5x/12 = 15
x = 12*15/5
x=12*3
x=36

C

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

We can let the total cost of the gift = n and create the equations.

We see that:

Al contributed: (1/3)n - 2

Lew contributed: (1/4)n + 2

Karen contributed: 15

And so:

(1/3)n - 2 + (1/4)n + 2 + 15 = n

(1/3)n + (1/4)n + 15 = n

Multiplying by 12, we have:

4n + 3n + 180 = 12n

7n + 180 = 12n

180 = 5n

36 = n

Answer: C

LucienH · Answer

Be careful here I think the total equation would have taken into account that A paid (1/3)X - 2 
and that L paid 1/4 * X + 2

But these in fact cancel out when you equate the 15$ to the remaining portion of the price:

15 = X - (1/3)X + 2 - (1/4)X - 2 
this simplifies to 15 = x - X * 7/12 
correct, but the numbers would have been different, the result wouldn't have been this

punwani7 · Answer

Yes! Since they nullify each other here (+2 -2), we can just add the portions of contribution by al and lew. The remainder contribution equals 15 dollars which makes the remaining sum straightforward.

Al, Lew, and Karen pooled their funds to buy a gift for a

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Al, Lew, and Karen pooled their funds to buy a gift for a

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